Certain navigational applications have a need for high precision gyroscopes. For example, MEMS gyroscopes may be capable of providing high precision measurements. However, certain MEMS gyroscopes may be subject to bias errors, where the bias errors may be represented by a non-zero y-intercept of the plot of output signal vs. input rotational rate. A non-zero sensor bias may directly affect the navigation algorithms that rely on inertial sensing data. For instance, a non-zero bias may cause inertial sensors to indicate that an associated system is rotating when the system is actually stationary; the bias errors may lead to a navigation solution error that increases cubically with time. The bias errors may negatively affect the operation of inertial sensors used in GPS redundant airplane navigation and gyrocompassing (using the earth's rotation rate to locate the North Pole), where the GPS redundant airplane and gyrocompassing applications rely on inertial sensors with very low output biases.
One example of a MEMS gyroscope that is susceptible to bias errors is a tuning fork gyroscope. A tuning fork gyroscope consists of two proof masses which vibrate in an anti-phase mode with each other (driven axis). A tuning fork gyroscope measures rotation through the Coriolis effect which generates a force that is perpendicular to both the axis of rotation (input axis) and the velocity of the proof mass. Since the proof masses are driven in an anti-phase mode, when rotation is applied, the proof masses respond by moving in anti-phase along the axis of the Coriolis force (sense axis). The motion of the proof masses occurs at the drive frequency, where the drive frequency is the resonant frequency of the proof masses in the driven axis.
The bias error in the tuning fork gyroscope occurs due to vibratory rotation motion about the input axis at the driven frequency. The vibratory rotation causes the proof masses to move in the sense axis of the gyro at the driven frequency and generates a bias error signal. This vibratory rotation motion could occur through several mechanisms. One exemplary mechanism would be an excitation of rotational vibration in the circuit board which controls the tuning fork gyroscope. In this case, an imbalance in the driven motion of the sensor imparts force onto the circuit board, which in turn generates a rotational vibration.